Lock



Jan. 15, 1952 P. M. BROWN 2,582,309

LOCK

Filed Dec. 24, 1948 lll/lll.

PERCY M. SHOW/V ATTORNEY Patented Jan. 15, 1952 LOCK Percy M. Brown, Tenaiiy, N. J., assignor to Anchor Products Company, North Bergen, N. J., a partnership Application December 24, 1948, Serial No. 67,170

8 Claims.

This invention relates to locks.

An object of this invention is to provide a lock comprising two parts, said parts having interlocking means and one of the parts being provided With a ball projecting through an opening in a. ball socket, the construction being such that when the ball is depressed by a linger. the interlocking parts will release so that the two parts may be separated, the construction being such, furthermore, that the two parts may be readily interlocked by merely interiitting the parts together, that is, by moving said parts toward each other.

Still another object of this invention is to provide in a lock of the character described, a spring pressed latch which may be retracted up by pressing a ball projecting through an opening in a ball socket.

`Yet a further object of this invention is to provide a strong, rugged, and durable lock of the character described which may have application to luggage, jewelry, pocketbooks, automobiles, mens and womens Wrist Watches, or any other application where it is desired to quickly lock two objects together by merely pressing one against the other, and Where it is desired to provide for easy release by merely pressing a ball.

v Still another object of this invention is to provide a strong, rugged, durable, and compact lock of the character described which shall comprise few and simple parts, which shall be relatively inexpensive to manufacture, which shall be smooth and positive in operation, easy to manipulate, and yet practical and efficient to a high degree in use.

Other objects of this invention will in part be obvious and in part hereinafter pointed out.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combinations of elements, arrangement of parts and method steps which will lbe exemplified in the construction hereinafter described, and of which the scope of invention will be indicated in the following claims.

In the accompanying drawings in which is shown various illustrative embodiments of this invention:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal, cross-sectional view of the lock embodying the invention taken on'.

lines I--I of Fig. 2, and illustrating one application of said lock;

Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 2--2 of Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2; and

Fig.y 4 is a side elevational View of the lock embodying the invention.

.are to be locked together.

In the drawing, like reference numerals indicate like parts. The lock may comprise two parts designated by numerals |I and I2, which parts The part I2 comprises a plate I3 formed with a central upwardly extending cylindrical or tubular wall I4. The wall I4 is formed at its upper end with an annular inwardly extending iiange or lip I5 for the purpose hereinafter appearing. The plate I3 may be provided with a plurality of bentback prongs I6 adapted to pierce or penetrate a sheet or article I8 to which the plate I3 is attached.

The part comprises a member 20 having a top wall 2| of generally rectangular shape. Extending from wall 2| are a pair of parallel end walls 22, and a pair of parallel side Walls 23. Extending from the walls 22 are bent-back prongs 24 which may be used to penetrate a sheet or article 29 to which member 20 is Xed. As will be noted hereinafter, the sheets I8 and 29 will be locked together by means of the interlocking members II and I2. The prongs 24 and I6 merely illustrate one application of the lock, it being understood that member I3 may be iixed to any article in any suitable manner, and member 2| may be xed to any other article in any suitable manner Where it is desired to lock such articles together.

It will now be understood that member 20 is in the form' of a case open at the bottom. The top wall 20 is formed with an upwardly extending annular ball socket formed with an opening 3| at the top. The socket 30 is somewhat part-spherical and tapers toward the opening 3|. Disposed within the bottom of the case 20 is amember 40 having a wall 4I tted within the case and fixed thereto in any suitable manner. Wall 4| may be Welded, pressed, or solderedA to the lower end of member 20, or otherwise iixed thereto by any known means. Extending downwardly from wall 4I is a cylindrical or tubular portion 42 which may surround and receive lor telescope with the cylindrical portion |4of member I3. It will now be understood that between wall 4| of member 40 and walls 2|, 22, l

and 23 of the case 20 is a compartment 45.

Slidably mounted within said compartment is a slider 46. The same comprises a substantially rectangular plate formed at one end with a longitudinal central slot 41. The slider 46 is of less length than the compartment 45 so that it may reciprocate from left to right. Disposed within the compartment 45 is a coil compression spring .48 projecting into the slot 4'! and interposed between one end of the slot and the adjacent end wall 22. The spring 48, thus, tends to move the slider 46 to the right into engagement with the opposite end wall 22. Extending downwardly from the slider 46 is a latch 50. Said latch has a tapered or rounded lower end` projecting down through the opening formed by annular lip I5. The latch 50 is formed with a horizontal slot 5I. When the slider 46 is moved to the right by spring 48, the lip I5 will enter the slot 5I and thus lock member II to `member I2. However, should the slider 46 be moved to the left, looking at Fig. l, the latch 56 will become disengaged from the lip l5 so that members II, I2 may be separated. It will be noted that the latch 50 is of less diameter than the opening formed by the lip I5.

The top surface of slider 46 is formed with a part-spherical depression or socket 55. Disposed within the socket 36 is a ball 56. Opening 3I is of less dia-meter than ball 56. The depression of socket 55 may be of substantially the `same radius as the bail 256, .and said ball will project through opening 3! in the socket 36. VSpring 48 will press the lslider 46 to the right causing an edge of the socket 55 to press against the ball and push the ball up so that it projects partly through opening 3l. ln such condition, the ball will not be seated within the socket 55. However, should the ball 56 be depressed by a finger, the slider 46 will be calnined to the left, seating the ball 56 within the socket 55, and releasing the latch 50 from the lip I5, and thus releasing the locking engagement between parts II and I2. The two parts Il and I2 may then be separated.

When pressure is relieved from the ballY 56, it will then be pressed outwardly, but will, of course, be held in the position shown in Fig. l, partly projecting through Isocket 36. In such position, if the tubular portion I4 were pressed into the tubular portion 42, the lip I5 would engage the bottom curved surface of the latch 50 and move the slider 46 sufficiently to the left to permit the lip i5 to rise to the level of the slot 5I. .During such action, the slider 46 is moved to the left compressing the spring 46, and when the lip I5 reaches :the level of slot 5%, the compressed spring 48 will againv move the slider 46 to the right so that the latch 56 will engage the lip I5, and the two parts il and i2 will then be locked together.

.It will thus be seen that there is provided a device in which the several objects of this invention are achieved, and which is well adapted to meet the conditions Vof practical use.

As various possible embodiments might be made of the `above invention, and as various changes might be made in the embodiment above set forth, it is to be understood that all matter herein setforth or shown in the accompanying drawing is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. A lock comprising .a part having a tubular portion formed with an annular inwardly extending lip forming a central opening, a second part comprising a casing having a tubular portion telescoping with the tubular portion of the rst part, a slider within said casing, spring means in the casing to move the slider in one direction, a latch on said slider projecting into said tubular portion of said casing, said latching having a slot engageable with said lip, a ball retaining socket on said casing, a ball within said socket and said slider being formed with a recess into which the ball partly projects. said ball partly projectingbeyond adapted to telescope with -thetubular portion' said ball retaining socket, and being depressible for moving the slider against said spring to release said latch from said lip.

2. A lock comprising twoparts, one part comprising a flat wall, a tubular portion extending from said wall, and formed with a lip, the second part comprising a case having a top wall and downwardly extending side and end Walls, said top wall being formed with an upwardly extending ball retaining socket formed with an opening through which the ball partly projects, a bottom wall closing the bottom of the case and formed with a downwardly projecting tubular portion adapted to telescope with the tubular portion of the lirst part, a slider slidably mounted within said case, spring means in said case to urge said slider in one direction, said slider being formed with downwardly projecting latch formed with a slot adapted to engage said lip, said slider being formed in its upper surface with a part-spherical recess, and a ball within said ball retaining socket, partly projecting into said recess.

3. A lock comprising two parts, one part comprising a flat wall, a tubular portion extending from said wall, and formed with a lip, the second part compri. ing a case having a top wall and downwardly extending side and end walls, said top wall being formed with an upwardly extending ball retaining socket formed with an opening through which the ball partly projects, a bottom wall closing the bottom of the case and formed with a downwardly projecting tubular portion adapted to telescope with the tubular portion of the ii'rst part, a slider slidably mounted within said case, spring means in lsaid case to urge said slider in one direction, said slider being formed with a downwardly projecting latch formed with a slot adapted to engage said lip, said slider being formed in its upper surface with a part-spherical recess, and a. ball within said ball retaining socket, partly projecting' into said recess, and means on said parts for attachment to articles to be locked together.

4. A lock comprising two parts, one part comprising a flat wall, a tubular portion extending from said wall, and formed with a lip, the second' part comprising a case having a top wall and downwardly extending side and end walls, said top wall being formed with an upwardly extending ball retaining socket formed with an opening through which the ball partly projects, a bottom wall closing the bottom of the case and formed with a downwardly projecting tubular portion adapted to telescope with the tubular portion of the rst part, a slider slidably mounted within said case, spring means in said case to urge said slider in one direction, said slider being formed with a, downwardly projecting latch formed with a slot adapted to engage said lip, said slider being `formed in its upper surface with a part-spherical recess, and a ball Within said ball retaining socket, partly projecting into said recess, the bottom of said latch being curved.

5. A lock comprising two parts, one part comprising a flat wall, a tubular portion extending from said wall, and formed with a lip, the second part comprising a case having a top wall and downwardly extending side and end walls, said v, top wall being formed with an upwardly extending ball retaining socket formed with an opening through which the ball partly projects, a bottom wall closing the bottom of thecase-:and termed` with a downwardly projecting tubular -portion of the iirst part, a slider slidably mounted within said case, spring means in said case to urge said slider in one direction, said slider being formed with a downwardly projecting latch formed with a slot adapted to engage said lip, said slider being formed in its upper surface with a part-spherical recess, and a ball within said ball retaining socket, partly projecting into said recess, the bottom of said latch being curved, said lip being annular, forming a central opening through which said latch may project.

6. A lock comprising two parts, one part comprising a flat wall, a tubular portion extending from said wall, and formed with a lip, the second part comprising a case having a top wall and downwardly extending side and end walls, said top wall being formed with an upwardly extending ball retaining socket formed with an opening through which the ball partly projects, a bottom wall closing the bottom of the case and formed with a downwardly projecting tubular portion adapted to telescope with the tubular portion of the rst part, a slider slidably mounted within said case, spring means in said case to urge said slider in one direction, said slider being formed with a downwardly projecting latch formed with a slot adapted to engage said lip, said slider being formed in its upper surface with a part-spherical recess, and a ball within said ball retaining socket, partly projecting into said recess, the bottom of said latch being curved, said lip being annular, forming a central opening through which said latch may project, the diameter of said ball being substantially similar to the diameter of said recess.

7. A lock comprising a part having a tubular portion, formed with an annular inwardly extending lip forming a central opening, a second part comprising a casing having a, tubular portion telescoping over the tubular portion of the rst part and a slider slidably mounted within said casing for movement in opposite directions, spring means in the casing to move said slider in one of said directions, a latch on said slider projecting into said tubular portion of said casing and movable into said opening, said latch having a slot engageable with said lip, a depressible member within said casing, said casing having an opening exposing a portion of said depressible member, said slider being formed with a cammed recess, cammed means on said depressible member adapted to engage said cammed recess when said depressible member is depressed, for sliding 0f said slider against said spring, to disengage said latch from said lip, and said spring being adapted, when said depressible member is released, to slide said slider for engaging the'latch with the lip and raising said depressible member.

8. A lock comprising a part having a tubular portion, formed with an annular inwardly extending lip forming a central opening, a second part comprising a casing having a tubular portion telescoping over the tubular portion of the first part and a slider slidably mounted within said casing for movement in opposite directions, spring means in the casing to move said slider in one of said directions, a, latch on said slider projecting into said tubular portion of said casing and movable into said opening, said latch having a slot engageable with said lip, a depressible member within said casing, said casing having an opening exposing a portion of said depressible member, said slider being formed with a cammed recess, cammed means on said depressible member adapted to engage said cammed recess when said depressible'member is depressed, for sliding of said slider against said spring, to disengage said latch from said lip, and said spring being adapted, when said depressible member is released, to slide said slider for engaging the latch with the lip and raising said depressible member, the lower end of said latch being cammed Whereby upon inserting said latch within said opening and telescoping the tubular portion of said casing over the tubular portion of the rst part, said cammed surface of said latch will engage said lip for moving said slider against said spring until the lip registers with the slot in the latch to permit the spring to then move the slider in an opposite direction for permitting the lip to enter into said slot.

PERCY M. BROWN.

LREFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 397,487 Braillard Feb. 12, 1889 935,004 Farch Sept. 28, 1909 1,828,152 Nonamaker Oct. 20, 1931 2,008,665 Eisenbart July 23, 1935 2,371,386 Endter Mar. 13, 1945 

